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Legal 500 UK Guide: Recognition across multiple practice areas

Posted on by Sophie Goodall

Legal 500 has published its 2027 UK Guide, in which we have received rankings across multiple practice areas, with 28 firmwide and 47 individual rankings.

We have been ranked as Tier 1 in five categories and as Tier 2 in six categories. Eight individuals have been awarded Hall of Fame status, which Legal 500 describes as those “at the very top of the profession”. We also have 15 Leading Partners, 9 Next Generation Partners and 11 Leading Associates.

These outcomes showcase the extensive scope of our expertise across numerous practice areas, allowing us to deliver outstanding support to our clients in both their business and personal matters.

The Legal 500 Guide identifies leading law firms and lawyers in the UK for their exceptional client service and proficiency in diverse areas. Its rankings are based on independent analysis and feedback gathered from clients, lawyers and law firms.

View the full rankings here.

Finalist in three categories at the Spear’s Awards 2026

Posted on by Alex Molyneux

We have been named as a finalist in three categories at this year’s Spear’s Awards:

  • Law Firm of the Year
  • Woman of the Year: Catherine Bedford
  • Lawyer of the Year – Family: Mark Irving

The Law Firm of the Year category, newly introduced this year, recognises law firms that have demonstrated outstanding legal expertise and service to UHNWs and family offices by handling a range of complex, high-value and high-profile matters, showing innovation in the way they serve their clients, and exhibiting a genuinely distinctive offering from their competitors.

This recognition reflects the firm’s unique position at the intersection of private wealth and the creative economy; its practice spanning from traditional private client work including estate planning, tax structuring, succession and trust advice, to advising talent, artists, influencers and entrepreneurs whose wealth is tied to IP, digital assets and creative rights on the commercial exploitation of their assets.

The Woman of the Year category, for which senior partner Catherine Bedford is shortlisted, focuses on female leaders in UK private wealth who have been instrumental in shaping the direction of their firm and/or the wider industry.

Lawyer of the Year – Family, for which Mark Irving is a finalist, recognises the leading family lawyers providing an excellent service to their clients on the most complex, sensitive and precedent-setting cases.

The Spear’s Awards bring together all sections of the private wealth ecosystem to celebrate excellence and the most significant achievements over the previous year. These awards recognise the individuals and firms who lead the way through the service they provide to family offices and UHNW individuals.

The awards ceremony will take place on 3 November 2026 at Raffles London at The OWO. See the full shortlist here.

Harbottle & Lewis advises Unit1 Studio on $20m fundraising round

Posted on by Sophie Goodall

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Unit1 Studio, an independent music tech startup focused on avatar concerts, in connection with its $20m equity and production fundraising round.

The equity fundraising round was led by Balderton Capital and included existing investors Mercuri, Gilston Music and artist manager Paul McGuinness.

Unit1 Studio, founded by Barney Wragg,  Pavle Mihajlovic and Jonathan Butterell in 2025, is an end-to-end production company focused on creating hyper-realistic digital avatar concerts. The company’s approach aims to engage both newer audiences discovering music from previous decades and established fans seeking different ways to experience the work of their favourite artists. 

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Unit1 Studio co-founder Barney Wragg commented:

“We are grateful to the Harbottle & Lewis team for their invaluable assistance with this transaction. The combination of their expertise in growth capital and intimate knowledge of the music industry has been key to helping us reach this significant milestone, which will enable us to produce a wider range of avatar concerts which audiences love, making them a commercial reality and ultimately expanding the connection between fan and artist.”

The Harbottle & Lewis team was led by co-managing partner and head of the firm’s corporate practice, Charlie Leveque, and managing associate Rosie Marston, who advised on the venture capital aspects of the transaction. Partner and head of the firm’s music practice, Kieran Jay, and associate Sofie Sigvardt are advising in connection with rights acquisition.

Commenting on the transaction, Charlie Leveque said:

“We are delighted and proud to have supported Barney and the Unit1 Studio team with this landmark transaction which drew on the firm’s long-standing expertise in the music sector, strong corporate and venture capital transaction capabilities and our wide-ranging experience acting for innovative companies developing cutting-edge technologies. We are excited to have played a role in helping Unit1 Studio secure this funding, and we look forward to continuing to partner with them as they realise their ambitious plans for the future.”

Finalist for Family Law Firm at 2026 eprivateclient Excellence Awards

Posted on by Sophie Goodall

We have been named as a finalist in the category of Family Law Firm (Full Service) at the 2026 eprivateclient Excellence Awards.

These awards celebrate outstanding achievements of leading firms across the private client professions over the past 12 months. Being named a finalist is a testament to our market-challenging and innovative family law team and the consistent high level of service we provide to our clients.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 1 October at the Royal Lancaster London.

Find out more about the awards and the other finalists here.

Marian Derham recognised as leading employment lawyer by Spear’s

Posted on by Sophie Goodall

Employment partner Marian Derham has been ranked as Recommended for the first time in the 2026 Spear’s employment lawyers index.

Marian has a long-established reputation in acting for C-level executives, HNW individuals, family offices and high-profile celebrities. Her expertise spans the creative industries including sectors such as film and TV, theatre, fashion and retail, advertising and publishing.

This index highlights the leading employment lawyers that UHNW individuals turn to when an issue needs to be resolved swiftly, efficiently and with discretion. They are recognised for their legal acumen, judgement and tact. The Spear’s indices are compiled through nominations, client feedback and interviews with the advisers themselves, as well as data gathered by the editorial and research teams.

You can see the full index here.

Family Law Awards 2026: Finalist in two categories

Posted on by admin

We have been named as a finalist in two categories at the LexisNexis Family Law Awards 2026.

The firm has been announced as a finalist for Family Law Workplace of the Year, recognising our commitment to supporting our people and delivering excellence in family law, while partner Mark Irving is a finalist for Family Law Partner of the Year, celebrating his outstanding leadership and significant contributions to the field.

The Family Law Awards are a prestigious celebration of outstanding achievements, unwavering dedication to justice and innovative contributions within the family law sector. They provide an opportunity to honour excellence, highlight the impact of work and showcase accomplishments to peers and industry leaders.

The awards ceremony will take place at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London on 18 November 2026.

Leaders in Tech Law Awards: Finalist in four categories

Posted on by admin

We have been named as a finalist in four categories at the Legal Geek Leaders in Tech Law Awards 2026.

The firm has been announced as a finalist for Most Innovative Independent Law Firm, reflecting its commitment to fostering a culture of innovation powered by technology – one of the firm’s key strategic pillars.

In addition, two of our people are finalists in three individual categories. Our director of innovation, Michael Vasalos, is shortlisted for Change Management Leader and Rising Star of Legal Tech, whilst our director of IT, Kerry Angel, is a finalist in the category of Women Leaders in Tech.

The Legal Geek Leaders in Tech Law Awards shine a spotlight on the people and organisations at the forefront of legal innovation and transformation who are redefining how legal services are delivered, from pioneering new technologies to driving meaningful change.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Pan Pacific, London on 14 October 2026.

See the full shortlist here.

Harbottle & Lewis advises Kord on $6.4 million series A round

Posted on by admin

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Kord, formerly known as Checkboard, on its $6.4 million Series A funding round.

The investment was led by Guinness Ventures, with participation from Beringea, SFC Capital and a group of angel investors.

Founded by James Owusu in 2019, Kord is a UK-based fintech company which provides an end-to-end platform for firms in regulated industries, enabling seamless client onboarding, identity verification, compliance checks, document management and payment processing. Its innovative modular system addresses the inefficiencies of traditional fragmented legacy systems, offering a streamlined and secure solution for businesses.

Kord’s platform is already trusted by estate agents, law firms, conveyancers and financial services companies, helping them to mitigate fraud risks and improve operational efficiency. The Series A funding will enable Kord to accelerate its growth, expand its team, enhance product development and acquire new customers.

The Harbottle & Lewis team was led by partner Tom Macleod and managing associate Rosie Marston, with support from associate Suzie Hamilton.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Kord founder and CEO James Owusu said:

“Harbottle & Lewis provided high-quality support during this pivotal stage for Kord. They clearly have great expertise in handling fast-paced venture capital transactions and combine this with a very pragmatic approach. The team’s dedication and collaborative approach around the clock made them an invaluable partner and we’re excited to move forward with their guidance as the business grows.”

Commenting on the transaction, Tom Macleod at Harbottle & Lewis added:

“Supporting innovative companies like Kord on their growth journeys is always incredibly rewarding. This funding marks an exciting milestone for Kord as they continue to transform client onboarding and compliance processes for regulated industries. We are proud to have worked alongside James and the Kord team on this transaction and look forward to seeing their continued success as they scale their platform and expand their reach.”

Harbottle & Lewis advises Poolhouse on $55 million series A round

Posted on by admin

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Poolhouse on its $55 million growth equity investment led by Bluestone Equity Partners, a global private equity firm focused on the sports, media and entertainment industry.

This Series A round represents the next significant step in Poolhouse’s trajectory and the round will be used to fund the continued global rollout of Poolhouse’s venues, as well as to expand BillyQ, Poolhouse’s proprietary vision-processing platform.

Co-founded by long-standing Harbottle & Lewis clients Steven and Dave Jolliffe (the founders of Topgolf and co-founders of Puttshack) alongside CEO Andrew O’Brien, Poolhouse brings a new dimension to social entertainment. By fusing the timeless game of pool with cutting-edge technology and world class hospitality, Poolhouse has quickly established itself as a standout name in the leisure and entertainment space.

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Poolhouse since the company’s inception, including on its $34 million seed funding round in 2025. The seed funding round was led by Sharp Alpha (a US leisure-focused venture capital investor) and DMG Ventures (DMGT’s consumer venture capital fund) and paved the way for the opening of the company’s highly anticipated flagship London venue at Liverpool Street.

The Harbottle & Lewis team was led by partner Tom Macleod and managing associate Rosie Marston, with support from associates Elizabeth Compton and Suzie Hamilton, and trainee solicitor Hugo Carter.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Poolhouse CEO Andrew O’Brien commented:

“Harbottle & Lewis has been a trusted adviser to Poolhouse since the company’s inception and has supported us through each important stage of our development. Tom, Rosie and the wider team went above and beyond throughout this transaction, combining excellent legal judgment with a genuine understanding of what matters to us as a business. Their commitment was exceptional, and we are extremely grateful for their continued support as we enter the next phase of Poolhouse’s growth.”

Commenting on the transaction, Tom Macleod said:

“We are delighted to have supported the Poolhouse team once again on this significant milestone. Having advised the business from its very earliest days and through its seed round last year, it is incredibly rewarding to see the company’s continued growth and momentum. We are excited to see what comes next.”

Broadened recognition for private wealth expertise in Chambers High Net Worth 2026 Guide

Posted on by admin

Chambers and Partners has today published its High Net Worth 2026 Guide, in which we have received an increased spread of individual and departmental rankings across multiple practice areas.

In total, seven departments and 20 individuals have been recognised, with many achieving rankings in the higher bands.

Our rankings this year build upon our strong performances in recent guides. Notably, we have been ranked in the Private Wealth Disputes category for the first time, reflecting the growth in size and prominence of our contentious practice in recent years. Other highlights include an array of new and improved individual rankings for lawyers across multiple categories.

These results reflect the firm’s leading reputation for advising high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals, families and their businesses on their increasingly complex personal and commercial affairs.

The Chambers High Net Worth Guide identifies the leading law firms and advisers serving high net worth individuals and families. Based on extensive independent research and client feedback, it is regarded globally as a benchmark of excellence in the private wealth sector.

View the full rankings here.